"Kinda blocked in," Mittens says, "Can't shoot without getting attacked, and nowhere to back away to..."

Adam grabs the gnoll mercenary by the throat and drags him away from Mittens.

"Thanks!"

Seeing Mav step into the open has Mits concerned, so she moves to take a look at what's going on.  She takes careful aim and fires an arrow over the boy's head into the ghost's!

---

Gnoll 3 HP: 54-12=42
Wraith HP: 16-(18/2)=7
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:56, Thu 03 Jan 2013.

The gnoll twists and escapes from Adam's grasp!  It then smashes him with it's flail!

---

Adam HP: 34-11=23

  Matt hardly even gives the Gnoll behind him any attention, as he steps out of the tent and carefully gives Demise's other knee a matching, if less disabling blow.  "Turning my back on an enemy, unfortunately, is an inevitable part of dealing with people who need to be brought down.  You can't run yet though, that much I can safely say."

  Well okay, she could.  But it would be a very bad idea, even with a Gnoll at her side.

---

Move: shift.
Standard: Shield Feint vs Demise, Hits (19 AC). 12 DMG.  +3 To-Hit vs Demise on my next attack vs her.

Giga AoO:  +17 To-hit, 1d10+10 vs Demise at the moment.
Demise Still Marked by Matt.

Demise HP: 36-12= 24/42

Matt HP: 35/46 s 10, v 11, ap 0.

Carla glares at the gnoll that's attacking Adam. The gnoll sees itself begin to bleed maggots and puss. In horror, the gnoll seems to have its guard let down for the time being while the shock of perceiving it all as real has caused him to sustain harm. She then toddles over to the central statue.

---

Standard: Visions of Blood v M3. Hit(24)!
 dmg: 11
 M3 takes -1 to defenses
 Aversion Staff: +2 all Carla's defenses vs target
Move: To the statue

M3 HP: 42 - 11 = 31
This message was last edited by the player at 06:28, Thu 03 Jan 2013.

The filching wraith vanishes again, then floats up 5'.  As soon as it sees Maverick reappear, it charges at him, clawing violently for the dagger artifact!

---

Readied attack: Charge and filch Mav as soon as he can see the boy.  Which triggers right away.  Failed thievery check.
Maverick HP: 37-15=22
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:41, Thu 03 Jan 2013.

Maverick winces as he's scratched hard and manages to move his body such that the wraith doesn't get its claws on the artifact. He retaliates with a nasty stab that ALMOST finishes off the wraith. While its distracted with the wound, Maverick backs away, then heads over to Adam, helping him flank the gnoll while simultaneously daring the wraith to provoke opportunity attacks from the girls that are in its way.

---

Standard: Acrobatic Strike v W1. Hit(26)!
 dmg: 13. SA included. Because:
Master's Wand of Eyebite: When you hit a target with eyebite using this wand, you gain combat advantage against the target on your first attack next turn. You also have a second use of Eyebite due to the power being stored in the wand.
 Shift 1 after attack as part of attack.
Move: To flank with Adam.

W1 HP: 7 - (13/2) = 1

"You'll pay for that!" Demise hisses!

Ghostly maws appear from below and bite at Matt, Adam, Angel, and Carla!

---

Carla HP: 34-13(resist 7)=28
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:07, Thu 03 Jan 2013.

Angel heads over to be next to Carla, then fires at the wraith. Seeing the first arrow fly through it harmlessly, she fires again and finishes it. "Seriously. We've dealt with worse than you, missy. Give up already."

She gives Carla a quick look. Carla just gives a thumbs-up to indicate she's OK. Angel goes back to looking around at the fight.

---

Standard: Twin Strike v W1. Miss(14)! Hit(21)!
 dmg: 7
Move: To Carla

W1 HP: 1 - (7/2) = gone

The gnoll mercenary tries to push Matt away from Demise but fails

Adam slash and pummels the gnoll he has flanked near to death!

Mittens then meows at it, and it drops to the ground motionless.

---

Gnoll 3 HP: 31-28-10=KO

  This time around as the Gnoll again fails to aid Demise, Matt swings a backhand at them... Maybe if he had bothered to take his eyes off Demise, Matt would have hit the Gnoll.  Still, the blacksmith lands another clean blow against the Named NPC.  "Oh, I believe you mean that.  Got to take you seriously as long as you're able to fight, after all, even if you've had bad luck following up on the threats so far"

---

BEFORE TURN.
Reaction:  Parry and Riposte Vs Gnoll 1.  Miss.

Matt's Turn
Standard: Shield Feint vs Demise. Hits (23 AC).  10 DMG.

Effecs: Matt Marks Demise (again).  +3 to next attack vs Demise (so +17 to-hit version of Giga AoO on the block).

Demise HP: 24-12= 14/42  Bloodied   

Carla heads north towards Demise, coming up from behind the remaining gnoll. She does to the remaining gnoll what she did to the last one to about the same effect. The gnoll looks freaked out and checks himself briefly as if noticing wounds that aren't there.

---

Move: to be in range of M1 without putting Matt in blast 3.
Standard: Visions of Blood v M1. Hit(16)!
 dmg: 9
 Aversion Staff: +2 defenses v M1.
 M1 takes -1 to defenses.

M1 HP: 54 - 9 = 45

Maverick uses his wand again, wracking the gnoll's mind while making Maverick invisible to the gnoll. Maverick trusts Matt has Demise well in hand now.

---

Standard: Eyebite v M1. Hit(18)!
 dmg: 7
Move: Northward. Hiding behind tent.
Stealth check: 24

M1 HP: 45 - 7 = 38

With little else she can do, Demise whacks Matt with her mace.  And curses Maverick.

---

Matt HP: 35-9=26

Angel trots closer and fires a bolt in each of Demise's sides, almost putting her down. "If you can help it," Angel comments, "Don't kill her. Knock her out. She likely has information we need."

---

Move: Towards Demise/Matt.
Standard: Twin Strike v Demise. Hit(23)! Hit(19)!
 dmg: 11
Minor: Quarry on M1

Demise HP: 14 - 11 = 3
This message was last edited by the player at 15:02, Thu 03 Jan 2013.

The gnoll continues it's futile attempts to push Matt away from Demise.

Mittens raspberries Demise and the darkmage collapses!  Her face then contorts to that of a doppelganger!  Adam charges the gnoll, slashing it with his sword!

---

Demise Claw Doppelganger Darkmage HP: 3-10=KO
Gnoll HP: 38-9=29
Disclaimer: just because THIS doppleganger reverts back to it's natural white hair, gray-skinned state when defeated, doesn't mean that Terdisas will.

  Now that Demise has been brought down (So, the lady wearing a mask hiding her face was also in disguise as a species. that's like, DOUBLE disguise!), Matt moves to a more advantageous position and... Misses the Gnoll.  He stops to consider this, and comments "Okay, why can't we hit eachother?  We're both past two for two here."

---

Move: Shift
Standard: Swing and a miss.  THREEEEEEE.

Carla does the same thing as last turn. Whatever it is she's doing, to the team, it more or less looks like she's been staring at the gnoll, but he is clearly acting like something is crawling on him.

---

Standard: Visions of Blood v M1. Hit(20)!
 dmg: 6 and -1 defenses
 Aversion Staff: +2 defenses v M1.
 Astral Majesty: +1 defenses v M1 because he's bloodied now.

M1 HP: 29 - 6 = 23

Maverick heads over to the gnoll and opens a nasty gash in it's side, where its kidney USED to be.

---

Move: To be adjacent to the gnoll.
Standard: Clever Strike v M1. Hits(28)! <- CA granted by attack.
 dmg: 15 (using SA)

M1 HP: 23 - 15 = 8

Angel walks up to the gnoll and ducks slightly so she can aim upward. She puts a bolt straight through its head from under it's chin. As the gnoll collapses, she looks over at Demise's body and smiles. "Thanks for not killing her, everyone."

Maverick says, "Did anyone else hear someone invisible leave the hole half a minute ago?"

---

Move: To flank with Maverick
Minor: Quarry M1
Free: Point Blank Crossbow
 Effect: You must use this when you make a ranged attack;
 The attack does not provoke opportunity attacks.
Standard: Basic Ranged v M1. Hit(25)!
 dmg: 10
 quarry dmg: 6

M1 HP: 8 - 16 = very dead.

  "Yeah, I noticed something along those line.  I figure like you, we were all somewhat busy trying not to die to chase things we can't see."  He considers demise, then looks back over to the little blacksmithing setup  "Yeah, I'm thinking elaborate bundle of chains would be better than just rope over their wrists.  Could one of you... Aside from Carla without an very detailed note, go check on our friends below while I deal with that?"

OOC: Short Rest, Matt uses two surges (thanks Song Of Rest!)
<red>Matt HP: 52/52/red>  S 8, v13, AP 0

Initiative: 19
This message was last edited by the player at 06:44, Fri 04 Jan 2013.

Mits of course sings her song of rest.  "Well that explains the invisible thieves and hated face I foresaw."

Adam move over to the tent and picks up the sending stone.

"Yerra, this is Adam.  We were just attacked by a Doppelganger posing as Demise, some gnolls, and a pair of wraiths.  They were defeated readily enough.  How are things on your end?"

"We have the artifact," she answers, "We're on our way back up."

Angel asks, "If Yeraa has the artifact... then what did the invisible thieves steal?" she gets to work on dragging the bodies to a central spot and helps Matt however she can on securing Demise.

Maverick leans on Mittens, resting and her song of rest seems to almost completely restore him. He doesn't comment on the situation other than to seem relaxed.

Carla sits, closes her eyes, and heals up.

---

Surges spent:
Angel not spending a surge.
Carla spent 1 surge. Surges now at 6/7
Maverick spent 1 surge. Surges now at 5/6

Carla HP: 28 + 12 = 37 (Max HP)
Maverick HP: 22 + 13 = 35

You hear scraping from behind the screen of your market
stall, signaling the safe return of Yeraa and the other seekers.
"Friends!" shouts Yeraa, her voice ragged. "We have returned."
The Word bearers emerge into your stall, clearly worse for
the wear. They are stiff and ill at ease.
Tikulti, isn't with them.

The pcs can make Insight checks if the players suggest it.
Otherwise, use their passive Insight scores.
Insight Check
DC 10 Although the seekers wear the seeming of life, you see
shredded flesh clinging to exposed bone. Oversized claws extend
from their gnarled hands.
DC 12: The creature that looks like Yeraa is not as you
remember her. Dark fire traces her twisted form. Noticing your
piercing gaze, mocking laughter racks her and she attacks.
pes who fail the Insight check are surprised by the dreadclaws.